


For Sunshine

by belasgrl



Category: Top Cat (Cartoon)
Genre: Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27628565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belasgrl/pseuds/belasgrl
Summary: A human teenaged girl meets Top Cat and the gang. All she needed was the chance to make a little money...At least, she THOUGHT that's what she needed.
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

On the streets of New York City, lightning flashed in the dark sky after thunder rolled, shaking the earth. It began to rain. Water droplets splashed all over cars and buildings and tapped a soothing melody on the streets and sidewalks. 

Here, a human teenage girl pulled her jacket hood over her head and grumbled, walking down a sidewalk. The city was huge, the grandest place she had ever been. It was the only place she had ever been, and yet, there was no place for her there. 

She turned her head slightly and saw red and blue lights slowly flash toward her as a cop car turned on the street she was walking on. Nervously, she quickly walked down the sidewalk, trying not to run. She entered an alley with a bunch of trash cans. Before the car passed by, she got in a trash can and pulled the lid over it. 

She felt something soft against her and heard a voice sleepily ask, "Hey! What's the big idea?" 

She hushed the voice. "Just give me a minute. I'll be out of here in a sec."

A light turned on, and the girl saw a yellow cat wearing a mauve hat and an orange polka dotted nightgown. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" 

"I didn't know anyone lived here," she said. She peaked out of the trash can and sighed in relief when she saw that the cop car was now gone. 

"Can you close the lid? It's raining, in case you didn't notice," the cat said.

The girl started to get out, but she stopped in her tracks when the cat said, "Not with you outside! Geez! It's raining...well, you know. You're already soaked. Why don't you wait until the rain stops? Of course, I'll have to charge you. I can't have people rooming in my alley for free." 

"Bug off," she said. "I have no money."

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" 

"What mother?" The girl asked, getting out of the trash can. 

The cat stopped her. "Hey! Hey, kid! What's your rush? Why don't you stick around for awhile?"

"I-" 

"Come on! Close the lid!"

Figuring that being in a trash can was better than walking around in the rain, she closed the lid.

"That's better. Keep it closed." 

"I don't have any money," the girl repeated.

"You'll pay me back. You're good for it, right?" Before she could reply, he asked, "What's your name, kid?"

She frowned. "I don't have one." 

"You don't, huh? Well, we can't call you kid all the time, now can we? I got it. Sunshine." 

"Sunshine?" 

"Yep. You're like a ray of sunshine, what with that cheerful disposition of yours." 

She knew he was being sarcastic but didn't bother arguing about it. She wasn't going to stay there long enough for the name to stick. 

"Who are you?" Sunshine asked. 

"I'm Top Cat, leader and landlord extraordinaire." He yawned. "You better get some sleep. "We have a big day tomorrow."

"We?" 

"Yeah. Me, you, and the gang." 

"I'm leaving after it stops raining." 

"The way I see it, you owe me for a night's room and board. Now, you can stay in a nice, cozy abode next door, or continue to be soaked. The choice is obvious." 

"Next door?" 

"Plenty of empty trash cans around with enough newspapers to make a decent bed."

Sunshine couldn't argue there. A trash can wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but it was dry. She got out of Top Cat's trash can, entered another one, curled up in a ball, and tried her best to sleep. 

In the late morning, the teenager was woken up by a constant crashing sound. Peeking out, she saw Top Cat banging two trash can lids together like cymbals. He was now dressed in a mauve vest that matched his hat. The sun was out, but the sky still looked dreary from the storm. 

Sunshine got out, yawning. "Why are you making all that noise?" 

"You'll see." 

Soon, five other cats arrived. First, a short blue one wearing a white jacket showed up. Then, a tall pink one wearing a white turtleneck sweater, an orange one with a purple T-shirt, a brown one with a white scarf, and finally, a green one wearing a ripped-up black tie rushed to the scene, stopping right in front of Top Cat.

"Hey, T.C. Who's the kid?" The brown cat asked. 

"This here is Sunshine," Top Cat told the group. "Sunshine, this is Benny the Ball." He pointed to the blue cat. 

"Hi, Sunshine." Benny waved.

"Choo-Choo," Top Cat said, referring to the pink one. 

"Hey there."

"Brain, Spook, and Fancy-Fancy." The leader motioned to the orange cat, the green cat, and the brown cat, respectively.

They all cheerfully greeted Sunshine, who gave them a short wave.

Top Cat said, "Now that we have the formalities out of the way, we can get down to business. Men...and kid, I called you all here today because I have come up with a surefire way to get us some cash. This helpless orphan will rake in some dough for us." 

Sunshine stepped back, shaking her head. "No. No way. I won't be used by you or anybody." 

"You'll get 10% of the cut, which means you'll get to pay me back for last night's stay in the alley AND have extra. What do you say, kid?" 

Sunshine paused, thinking. Top Cat frowned. "Well? We don't have all day."

The teenager sighed. "Fine, but just this one time." 

Top Cat held out his paw. "Let's shake on it." 

Sunshine shook his paw. "You all saw that, boys. We made the deal. Now, let's get moving," Top Cat said.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunshine didn't know how she got herself into this. Just last night, she was wandering the streets, cold, wet, and hungry, looking for a hot meal and a decent place to sleep. Now, she was standing on the side of the street, holding a sign that said, "Save the orphans!" 

Earlier, Top Cat instructed Spook and Fancy-Fancy to find materials for the sign, Choo Choo and Brain to paint the sign, and Benny to find some clothes for Sunshine to wear. 

"All she needs is a hat and torn-up coat, and she'll look like a classic, helpless orphan," Top Cat mentioned. 

Sunshine had wrinkled her nose at him. She knew she didn't look the greatest, but she had been living on the streets for awhile. 

Benny said with a cheerful smile, "I'll try to find some nice clothes for you while I'm out, Sunshine." 

"You don't have to do that," the girl stated, her voice noticeably quieter. 

"It'll be no problem. I'm sure there's a few good outfits out there." 

"Fine, fine," Top Cat interrupted. "Just don't take all day. We have to get her out there before lunchtime." 

"See you later," Benny said, then waved goodbye and left. 

It didn't take long for Spook and Fancy-Fancy to return with stuff to make the sign. As Choo Choo and Brain wrote on the canvas, Choo Choo asked, "Where you from, Sunshine?" 

"New York. I was born and bred here." She sat on an empty crate. "Can I help with that?" 

"We got it, but, uh, thanks," Brain replied. 

Benny soon returned, holding a dirty olive green newsboy cap, a torn and patched gray trenchcoat that had seen better days, and a couple of blouses, skirts, and pants. "Here you go." He held out the pile to Sunshine. 

Before the teenager had a chance to say thank you, Top Cat rushed them. "Hurry up and put the hat and coat on. Chooch and Brain, you almost done with the sign?"

"We got it, T.C.," Choo Choo stated, holding up the sign. 

Once Sunshine was fully dressed up, Top Cat gave her the sign and a glass jar. "Now, all you gotta do is stand around and hold these up. Make a little noise to get people's attention. People are suckers for orphans. At the end of the day, we'll see how much you get." 

"I'm getting paid by the hour, right?" Sunshine asked, sarcastically. 

Top Cat laughed, dryly. "You hear this? She's a natural. A real wisecracking kid." 

So, here she was now, standing on a sidewalk near a 4-way street, holding the sign. It was nearly lunchtime, so it was starting to get busy. A few people who passed by dropped a couple of coins in the jar, and she would tell them, "Bless you."

The girl stayed out for awhile, then began to get bored. She looked in the jar and saw that there wasn't much change in there. She decided to be louder and more dramatic to get more peoples' attention. She stood up, took a deep breath, and yelled, "SAVE THE ORPHANS! FEED THE CHILDREN! EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!" 

The more she did this, the more she got noticed. People passed by and frequently dropped money in the jar. Soon, it was beginning to get full. 

After awhile, Sunshine's throat was beginning to get sore from the shouting. She also drew the attention of a cop. A man with black hair, wearing a blue police uniform approached her and asked, "What's all this racket?" 

Sunshine saw him and immediately froze, but she tried to get a hold of herself and said, keeping her voice steady, "Spare change for the orphans?" 

"You're making a lot of noise. Don't you realize you're disturbing the peace? Here." To Sunshine's surprise, the cop put a little money in the jar. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." 

"But-" Sunshine didn't want to leave; she was just beginning to make a lot of money, but if she stayed much longer, there would be trouble. 

"Why, Officer Dibble, it's such a coincidence running into you on this fine afternoon!" Top Cat was suddenly heard saying. Sunshine looked towards the voice and saw the leader and Benny walking towards them. 

"Oh, hey, Top Cat," the officer said. "Listen, I'm-" 

"Doing an excellent job keeping our fair city safe, I see," Top Cat interrupted. "Why, it's no wonder crime has been down in this area. When people see you, they think twice about doing anything wrong. Isn't that right, Benny?" 

"Right, T.C.," Benny nodded, agreeing. 

Officer Dibble laughed a little, flattered. "Well, I do my best..." 

"And you SUCCEED, good sir," Top Cat said. "Thanks to you, all the citizens of New York can rest easier, knowing if anything goes wrong, they can count on you." 

Top Cat briefly glanced at Sunshine and mumbled under his breath, only loud enough for her to hear, "Beat it, kid." 

Sunshine quietly walked away with the jar, turning a corner, and left while Top Cat and Benny kept distracting the cop. 

"Well, it was nice chatting with you, Officer Dibble, but we gotta run. Goodbye, now." With that, the two cats hurried away. 

"Okay. See you guys later," Officer Dibble said. "Now, as I was saying-" When he turned around, he saw that Sunshine was long gone. "Hey. Where did that kid go? Oh, well." With that, he shrugged and went on his way.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as Sunshine was far enough away from trouble, she relaxed, leaning against the side of a building. She got a chance to take a good look at the jar. It was almost filled to the top with change, and there were even some dollar bills. There was enough money to get her something to eat for a few days and maybe even to book her a cheap motel room for a night or two. 

It would have been so easy to just take the money and run. 

But... 

She had made a deal with Top Cat; she even shook on it. How would she feel if she went back on her word? Plus, the cats had been kind to her so far. Granted, maybe that was only because they wanted her to make money for them, but they seemed friendly enough, except for Top Cat. She didn't want to cheat any of them. 

With a heavy sigh, Sunshine made her way back to the alley. 

When she returned, the whole gang was there. "Hey, Sunshine. We heard you ran into Officer Dibble," Choo Choo said. 

"I guess," the girl responded. "I barely got away. I thought he was going to bring me in." 

"Like, Officer Dibble ain't such a bad guy," stated Spook. 

"He's pretty swell, once you get to know him," Fancy-Fancy said. 

Sunshine shook her head. 

"Let's see the jar," Top Cat told her. 

Sunshine reluctantly got it out of her coat. Everyone's eyes lit up. "There's enough for a whole feast!" Benny exclaimed. 

"Or a new car!" added Brain. 

"Not quite that much," Top Cat mentioned. Turning his attention to Sunshine, he said, "You did good, kid." 

The money was dumped on a table and counted out. The total came out to be $10.61.

Sunshine held out her hand as Top Cat put the money back in the jar. "I'll take my share, now." 

"Oh, right." He gave her a nickel. 

Sunshine frowned. "You said I get 10%. That's around $1.06." 

"Right, right, but you still owe me for the room you rented last night, so this is what's leftover from that." 

The teenager yelled, angrily, "I didn't stand out there all morning just for you to take all the money I earned!" 

"Welcome to life, kid. Take it easy. I saved your skin out there, remember?" 

"Aw, come on, Top Cat. Give her the money," Benny insisted. 

The rest of the gang agreed with Benny. Top Cat sighed. "Alright, alright. Brain, count out her share and give it to her." 

As Sunshine waited for Brain to count out the money, the others whispered to Top Cat. They talked amongst themselves for a bit, then Top Cat approached her and cleared his throat just as Brain handed her the change. "Sunshine, the gang and I have been talking, and we've decided to offer you a membership." 

"No, thanks," Sunshine replied, taking the money. "I really should be going." 

"Where?" the leader asked, skeptically. 

Sunshine paused. They all must have figured out by now that she had no home, so she couldn't lie about that. 

"Let's take a vote. All in favor of Sunshine joining the gang, say, 'Aye!'" 

All the cats raised their paws and said, "Aye!" 

"All opposed?" 

"But-" Sunshine started. 

"That's 6 to 1. You're in. Now, you gotta take the oath. Raise your right hand."

Sunshine raised her hand, bewildered. 

"Do you solemnly swear to follow the rules and regulations of this club?" 

"I guess?"

"Good enough. Congratulations, Sunshine, you're officially a member of our fine group. Now, there is the matter of the fee," Top Cat told her. 

She glared. "I'm not giving you my money." 

"Fine, fine, but it's coming out of future projects." 

"We should have a party to celebrate," Benny suggested. 

"Yeah! We could get pizza!" Choo Choo added. 

"And, like, decorate the alley all nice and stuff," mentioned Spook. 

"And wear party hats!" Brain piped up. 

"And get some noisemakers and party favors," said Fancy-Fancy. 

"I don't need a party," Sunshine said, uncomfortable. "It's not really worth it."

Top Cat saw her expression and said, "A little celebration never hurt anyone. You gotta live a little. Besides, it'll boost morale." 

Before Sunshine could protest any further, Top Cat instructed everyone to get supplies for the party. Choo Choo told the teenager, "Come on, Sunny. I know where we can get some great pizza." 

The pink cat led her out of the alley while the others spread out. The two walked down the street, with Sunshine following Choo Choo. "Congratulations on your membership. How do you feel?" 

"Confused," she replied. "Confused and hungry."

"We'll get something to eat real soon. This is going to be a great party." 

"I guess. I don't understand why we're having one. I'm just in the club to make money. It's not like-" She cut herself off. 

"It's not just about making money. You're a part of our group now. Have you ever been in a club before?" 

Sunshine shook her head. "No. I've always been on my own." 

"You're not alone anymore. We've got your back." 

"Not Top Cat. He just wants cash." She frowned.

"T.C. isn't like that; you got the wrong idea about him." 

"He could've fooled me." 

"People ain't always what they seem," Choo Choo told her as they approached a pizza place. The sign on the building above the door said Pedro's Pizza Pallazo. "Here we are," the feline said as he opened the door for her. 

When they went in, a stout man with black hair, wearing white clothes, an apron, and a chef's hat, spoke cheerfully in an Irish accent, "Hey, Choo Choo! What'll it be for you and your friends today?" 

"7 pizzas with anchovies, pepperoni, and mushrooms," Choo Choo answered. 

"Anchovies?" Sunshine asked, disgusted.

"Don't knock 'em until you try 'em." 

"Can't I just try a slice of yours?" 

"Sure thing," replied Choo Choo. "What do you want on your pizza?" 

"Just mushrooms and green peppers." 

"Okay. Scratch that first order, Pedro. We'd like 6 pizzas with anchovies, pepperoni, and mushrooms, and 1 with mushrooms and green peppers." 

"Coming right up," Pedro said. 

Soon, Choo Choo and Sunshine had the pizzas and carried them out.

When they returned to the alley, the others were already decorating it with streamers and bows, and everyone was wearing a colorful party hat. 

Sunshine looked down at her clothes. "I can't go to a party looking like this," she told Choo Choo. 

"Go ahead and change. We'll get everything ready," he said. 

Sunshine found the clothes Benny got for her in the trash can she had slept in the night before. She went in the trash can and changed into a yellow and white vertical striped blouse and a yellow skirt, then came out. When she joined the others, Brain put a bright green party hat on her, though it was lopsided. Sunshine fixed it the way she wanted it. 

"Since the guest of honor is here, we can start this party," Top Cat informed everyone. With that, Benny started the record player, and lively jazz music played. 

"Help yourself to the pizza," Top Cat told everyone. When the others crowded around the food, the leader stopped them. "Hold it! Our newest member gets to go first." 

Sunshine got a few pieces of pizza, then sat down and ate. When she began eating, she realized how long it had been since she had last eaten; she was starving. She wolfed down all the slices she had in a short period of time. 

"You wanna try a piece of my pizza?" Choo Choo asked. 

"Yeah. I'll trade you," Sunshine told him, and they exchanged slices. The teenager looked at the pizza with the anchovies. "I'll try anything once." She took a bite. "It's not bad." 

"See? Told ya," Choo Choo cheerfully said. 

Everyone ate and relaxed. Sunshine began to feel a lot better now that she had a good meal. When a certain song began playing, she softly sang along. 

Fancy-Fancy stopped what he was doing and listened. "Hey, Sunshine, I didn't know you could sing." He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. 

Sunshine stopped, embarrassed. "I..." 

"You can sing?" Benny asked, surprised. "Sing us a song, Sunshine." 

After a lot of coaxing from the gang, Sunshine finally gave in and sang along with the record, softly and meekly at first, then louder as she grew more confident. The other cats gradually joined in, including Top Cat. 

In the middle of the song, Top Cat stopped singing. His eyes lit up as if he got an idea, then he rejoined the chorus.

After the song ended and after she ate her fill, Sunshine laid down to rest her stomach. Benny was sitting by her on top of a trash can, tapping his foot in the air to the next song. "How are you liking the party, Sunny?" he asked. 

"It's great," she replied, sleepily, "but you guys didn't have to do all this for me." 

"Ah, it's nothin'." 

"Thank you for getting me the clothes. I like them a lot. I can't remember the last time I wore something so nice." 

"You're welcome. I found them on a clothesline, so they were nice and clean." 

Sunshine quickly sat up. "You took someone's clothes?" 

"It's okay; you needed them more." 

Sunshine laid back down again. She couldn't argue with him there, and she was too tired and full to protest further. 

Top Cat approached her, finishing off a slice of pizza. "Zonking out already? Boy, that pizza must have had some effect on you! Some guest of honor you are, crashing before the party is even over!" 

Sunshine groaned. "Lay off. I'm not used to eating so much, I mean, not at once," she quickly added. 

"Top Cat!" Officer Dibble's voice was heard yelling over the music. Sunshine immediately got up and hid. The others scattered. 

Dibble appeared and berated Top Cat, turning off the record player. "What have I told you about playing loud music in the alley? You're disturbing the peace! And look at this mess! You better clean it up."

"Officer Drabble, so nice of you to come. We weren't expecting you. Here. Put on a party hat and join the festivities." Top Cat put a party hat on the police officer, who frowned. 

"Cut it out, T.C. I mean it. Clean up this mess, or I'll turn you in." 

"Of course, of course. Right after you have some pizza. You've had your cousin's pizza before; he makes fine works of art." The cat stuffed a piece of pizza in the cop's mouth. "There. You're having fun, already." He looked at his own wrist. "Well, it's been swell, but I really must be going. I have an appointment. Can't keep my dentist waiting." 

Top Cat then reached behind the trash can where Sunshine was hiding, then grabbed her arm and rapidly disappeared with her while Dibble spit out the pizza.


	4. Chapter 4

"Gentlemen...and lady," Top Cat announced the next morning, "I have come up with a brilliant way for us to make a lot of money. I'm calling it Operation: Musical." 

"Let's hear it, T.C.," said Benny. 

"We are going to write and produce our own show. We'll be sitting on loads of cash, and all we have to do is use our voices and a little pen and paper." 

"That sounds like a big project," Fancy-Fancy brought up. 

"Yeah. Uh...We've never done something like this before," said Brain. 

"Before, we didn't have the manpower and girl power to pull something like this off, but with an extra person here, we can swing it. Now, we need a script, some songs, sets, costumes, and props. What are you waiting for? Blur, boys, blur!" 

As Sunshine began to leave like the rest of the gang, Top Cat grabbed her by the shoulder. "Not you. I have a special job for you." 

Sunshine dreaded what he had to say, but she needed to make money, and this was the easiest way for her to do so right now. Once she saved up enough, she could start depending on herself more and get a better life. "What is it?" she asked. 

"You did such a good job yesterday that you're going to be the official musical marketer." 

"Marketer?" 

"Yeah. You're gonna advertise the play. Put up signs all around the city. Hand out fliers. Announce it all over town, but not too much. You'll need those pipes of yours to sing in the musical." 

"You want me to sing?!" 

"Sure, kid. You've got talent, and it would be a shame to let it all go to waste at such a young age. Tell you what: we'll write a big part for you. How about that?" 

Sunshine sat down, overwhelmed. "I don't know." 

"Come on, Sunshine. We're wasting daylight. We've got to get started on those fliers." 

Sunshine stood up and took a deep breath. If this is what it took to make a better life for herself, then she would do it. She had to put everything she had into these schemes. 

Top Cat and Sunshine worked quickly to make some posters and fliers. The others gathered building supplies to make a stage and grabbed some random clothes and props. They all improvised the script, coming up with a plot and the songs along the way. It took them all day. 

The next morning, Sunshine was sent out to plaster the posters wherever she thought more people would see them, then, she handed out fliers to passersby. After all the papers were gone, she rushed back to Hoagy's Alley to prepare for the show. 

The stage was already built, though it looked a bit unsteady. All the cats were putting on their costumes and going over the script, and Sunshine joined them, out of breath. There was a lot to do and very little time to do it; they were going to perform the musical that afternoon. 

Once they were more or less ready, everyone began taking their places. Benny stood at the alley's entrance to charge admission. Fancy-Fancy stood behind the curtain with a copy of the script. Choo Choo sat at the side of the stage with some musical instruments, which consisted of trash can lids (cymbals), three trash cans flipped upside down (drums), and a horn. The rest of them finished putting their costumes on and waited for their cue to start. 

Choo Choo banged his paws against the drums, then clashed the cymbals, starting the play. 

The musical was about an art thief, played by Sunshine, who was being chased by a detective, who was Brain. The two kept running into each other, though the detective didn't realize it since the art thief kept disguising herself. Top Cat was the art thief's boss who hired her to steal the painting. Spook had his paws full by playing all the extra male roles, such as a train conductor, banker, and clown. 

To say the musical went off without a hitch would have been a fib. Everyone constantly forgot their lines or flubbed them, and the singing was off-key. Fancy got a headache from constantly whispering the lines, and Choo Choo missed some of his cues to play the music. Despite all this, the crowd was genuinely entertained. Sunshine had a lot of fun and forgot all about her troubles.

As usual, Officer Dibble interrupted the gang's scheme. He broke up the crowd and scolded Top Cat, telling him they weren't allowed to have such a large amount of people gathered there. 

Dibble looked up at the stage. When he saw Sunshine, he narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" 

Sunshine shook her head. 

"I could swear I have...Now I remember! You were the kid begging for money on the street the other day! What are you doing hanging around these characters?" 

The teenager didn't answer, getting ready to step off the stage. 

"Never mind her," Top Cat said, stepping in front of the cop."She's just-" 

"You stay out of this, Top Cat," Dibble said. Addressing Sunshine, he asked, "Who are you? Where are your parents?" He got on the stage. 

It was over. Once he found out she was a homeless orphan, he would take her to an orphanage. There was no way she was going to one of those. 

Thinking quickly, Sunshine jumped up and down on the stage. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Dibble shouted. 

It didn't take much for the stage to collapse, as it was already pretty flimsy. Officer Dibble, Top Cat, Spook, Brain, Fancy-Fancy, and Sunshine fell to the ground amongst the rubble. Sunshine fought her way out and ran out of the alley, leaving the shouts of Top Cat, the gang, and Officer Dibble far, far behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Hoagy's Alley was oddly quiet that evening. None of the gang had bothered cleaning up the mess from that afternoon. The broken stage was still there, along with the curtain, props, costumes, and instruments. 

The only sound that was heard among the group was Brain counting the money out loud. "There's $4.50 here," he announced at last. 

"Well, it's nothing to sneeze at," Top Cat stated. "That means everyone gets 75 cents." 

"What about Sunshine, T.C.?" Choo Choo asked. "Doesn't she get any of it?" 

"I think the kid is long gone, Chooch." 

After Top Cat made this statement, the others looked even more glum than they did before. He looked around at each of them and frowned. "What's the matter with you guys?" 

"We miss Sunshine," Benny sighed. 

"Yeah," the others agreed. 

"Oh, come on. You're telling me all this is over some kid?" the leader asked. "We've been through this before. There's no way she could have stayed long-term. Don't you all remember Charlie? We couldn't keep him around, either." 

"But, like, Charlie had a mom," Spook mentioned. 

"And Sunshine's got nobody, T.C.," said Fancy-Fancy. 

Top Cat shook his head. "Big deal. She can take care of herself; she has so far, hasn't she? Stop worrying. We have other things to think about, like how we'll spend this money." 

"I don't care about the money," Benny sniffled. "I just want Sunny back." 

"It's getting dark," Brain said, looking up at the sky. "She's out there, all by herself." 

Choo Choo stood next to Top Cat. "She's one of us, T.C. She did take the oath." 

"Alright! Alright! We'll look for her in the morning!" Top Cat said, throwing up in paws in defeat. "Sheesh! You all are too soft for your own goods!" Despite this, he couldn't help calming down when he saw the others cheering up. 

Late that night, Sunshine rested next to a dumpster behind a restaurant. She was hungry and rummaged through the trash. Finding nothing, she sat on the ground, hugging herself in despair. 

Surely, the police would be looking for her now since she had caught a cop's attention. She had no choice but to leave New York City, the only home she had ever known. To do that, though, she needed money, and she knew just where to get some. 

Sunshine made her way back to Hoagy's Alley. Once there, she nearly tripped over the debris. She searched everywhere for the money that had been made from the musical. 

The noise of her rummaging through things woke Top Cat, who immediately got out of his trash can. "What's the big idea? This is private property!" 

Sunshine immediately grabbed a broken board. In the faint light, Top Cat recognized her. "Sunshine! What are you doing here?" 

"Give me the money we made today, or I'll...I'll..." She held the board up like a baseball bat but somehow couldn't finish her threat. 

Top Cat put his paws up. "Take it easy, kid!" 

"Give me the money!" 

"Put that down, and we'll talk." 

There was a long pause. Finally, Sunshine dropped the board on the ground. Top Cat approached her. "There. That's better. Now, we can sort this out all civil-like. We had a rough day, but that doesn't mean the future can't be better. If you stick around, you'll be able to earn yourself more dough." 

"I can't stick around; the cops are after me," Sunshine said, agitated. 

"Well, what they don't know won't hurt them. As long as you stay out of sight, nothing will happen. For all they know, you've left the country. All we have to do is make sure nobody sees you. Maybe you can wear a disguise, change your hair, that sort of thing. What do you say?"

"Only if you guarantee that the police won't bother me. I need time to gather enough money to leave New York." 

"Consider it done. So, why don't you get some shut-eye?" 

Sunshine yawned and nodded. Then, she got in an empty trash can and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Sunshine awoke the next morning to familiar voices. She almost exited the trash can before she remembered she had to stay hidden. After all, it was broad daylight. 

Top Cat had gathered everyone together and said, "Men, I have made an acquisition that may boost morale around here. We have to keep it hush-hush, though." He pointed to the trash can that Sunshine was in. 

The others lifted the lid and saw Sunshine. "Sunny!" they all exclaimed, happily.

"Keep it down!" Top Cat frowned. "We can't let Dibble see her." 

"Aw, that's a shame. There's a carnival going on, and it would be nice to take her," Choo Choo said. 

"A carnival?" Sunshine quietly asked, peering out of the trash can. 

"Yeah! It's going on this weekend. There's lots of rides and games and food," Benny informed. 

"Food..." Sunshine's stomach growled. "Somebody get me a pair of scissors." 

Fancy-Fancy handed her a pair of scissors, and Sunny closed the lid and chopped her hair short. She changed into an orange shirt and darker orange pants. She put some cardboard in her shoes to make her look taller. When she lifted the lid, she put on her green newsboy hat. She said with a deep breath, "Hopefully, nobody recognizes me." 

"Are we all ready?" Top Cat asked. 

When everyone answered in the affirmative, the gang left the alley. 

As soon as they got to the carnival, Top Cat handed Sunshine some change. "Here you go, kid. Don't spend it all in one place." 

"Thanks," Sunny said, then headed to the food stands. Benny stood behind her in line while she waited to get a pretzel, and they chatted until after she finished eating. Then, she made her way to the face-painting station. Not only would it be a fun thing to get done, but it would also help disguise her. She saw Brain after she got her face painted like a tiger, and he didn't recognize her. 

After this, Sunshine played some games, occasionally running into one or two members of the gang. One time, she met up with Top Cat. "Hey, kid," he said, finishing off some cotton candy. "Having a good time?" He seemed to be in an upbeat mood.

When she nodded, he asked, "Have you rode the ferris wheel yet?" 

Sunshine looked up at the ferris wheel in the distance, and her eyes widened, slightly. "N-no." 

"You're missing out. Come on!" He grabbed her arm and quickly led her to the ride. She tried to keep herself from shaking as they approached the ferris wheel. A carnival worker let them in, and Top Cat and Sunshine sat by each other. 

When they began going up, Sunshine broke down and shook, terrified. Top Cat looked over at her and asked, "What's the matter?" 

"I'm afraid of heights!" she cried out. 

"Oh, boy..." Top Cat looked uncomfortable. He was going to tell her to toughen up, but when he saw how distressed the teenager was, he chose to take a different approach. "Don't panic. It's just a ride. Nothin's gonna happen." 

Sunshine suddenly grabbed Top Cat and hugged him, trembling, burying her face in his shoulder so she wouldn't have to see how high up they were. 

Top Cat was speechless for a moment. He didn't know what to do; he wasn't used to this sort of thing. He was a tough guy, and tough guys didn't provide comfort. To him, being soft was a sign of weakness.

However, when he saw the girl shaking, scared for her life, he decided to momentarily forget about keeping up his image. He patted her back and reassured her she was safe until they were on the ground and off the ride. 

Once they got off the ferris wheel, Top Cat joked, attempting to put her at ease, "Well, I think that's enough flying for one day. If you ask me, it was a pointless trip. We didn't even go anywhere!" 

Sunshine gradually calmed down. "Thank you." 

"Don't mention it, kid." Top Cat then whistled, using his fingers. One by one, the other members of the group showed up. "Why don't we memorialize this day by getting our picture taken? It's been awhile since we've had a group snapshot." 

They found someone with a camera who took their picture. The photographer handed the picture to Top Cat, who handed it to Sunshine. "Here, kid. Put this in your photo album." 

Soon, the gang split up again, and everyone enjoyed the carnival at their own leisure until everything began winding down. 

When they all met up to leave together, every one of the cats was holding a toy they had won from various games. They handed the toys to Sunshine. "I can't take all these," she said, shocked. 

"Like, what are a bunch of cats gonna do with carnival prizes?" Spook asked. 

"Sell them?" 

"These doohickeys?" Top Cat asked, handing her a large green teddy bear. "Nobody would buy them." 

"Besides, they're gifts," Choo Choo told her. 

"Thank you," Sunshine said, hugging all the toys, gratefully. 

As the sun began to set, everyone went back to the alley. Once there, Sunshine curled up in the trash can with all the toys and fell asleep early, exhausted but happy.


	7. Chapter 7

Top Cat made sure Sunshine was asleep before gathering the rest of the gang together. "Before you guys take off, there's something we need to discuss."

When he had everyone's attention, he continued. "We have a problem, a major one. One of our members is a fugitive from the law, and we won't be able to hide her forever. The floor is now open to suggestions." 

"Uh, who's the fugitive, T.C.?" Brain asked.

Top Cat shook his head and stated, "Come on, men. We've got to figure out what we're gonna do with her." 

"We could, like, tell Dibble she's a visiting cousin," Spook said, raising his paw.

"He wouldn't buy it; she doesn't look like any of us," the leader stated.

"We could put a bunch of coats on her and disguise her as a coat rack," said Brain. 

"Nah. She'd blow her cover when she has to sneeze."

"We could adopt her," Choo Choo suggested. 

The others agreed with this idea except for Top Cat. "There's no way we could do that. It's a lot of work takin' care of a kid. Besides, we gotta have jobs." 

"I can get a job, T.C.," Benny told him. 

"So could I," Choo Choo piped up. 

Top Cat cringed. "Have you guys lost it? Working is against our policy." 

"But if we don't, Sunshine won't be able to stick around," Fancy-Fancy brought up. 

"Look, we'll sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow," Top Cat told everyone, then dismissed them. 

Later that night, Sunshine lay awake, thinking. She had been woken up by the group's voices earlier and had heard the entire conversation. 

How could they even consider adopting her? The alley was an okay enough place, but it was nothing like a house. Besides, she wasn't meant to have a home or a...

She couldn't bear to finish the thought. 

Ever since she was able to take care of herself, she had never stayed in one place for long. She knew she was always going to be a wanderer. Nothing could ever change that. 

Also, Sunshine knew each of the members of the gang had dreams. They wanted to be rich and have easy lives. That wouldn't happen if she stayed. She would just hold them back. 

Sunshine knew what she had to do.

Quietly, she got out of the trash can and found a used wrapper and a pencil. Doing the best she could to write, legibly, she scrawled a quick note. Then, she found some change and put it in her pocket. It wouldn't be much, but it would at least get her a bus ticket.

As she stuck her hand in her pocket, she felt the photograph that was taken at the carnival. She took it out of her pocket. It was folded up and crinkled. She looked at all the faces, slowly, and a heavy weight filled her chest. That had been the only time in her life that she had ever been truly happy.

Sunshine put the photo back in her pocket and wiped the tears that began forming in her eyes. She knew with absolute certainty that what she was doing was for the best. She had to leave for everyone's sake. At least she had some good memories to hold onto.

After taking one last look, Sunshine left the alley.


	8. Chapter 8

Top Cat woke up the next morning and exited his trash can, stretching. He began thinking about the gang's next moneymaking scheme. He also wondered what to do about Sunshine. She was a decent kid, but he knew she couldn't keep hiding in the alley. 

As he got ready for the day, he saw a wrapper laying around in plain sight, and it had writing on it. "Hm? What's this?" He picked up the wrapper and read the words out loud. "Top Cat, I've decided to leave and go my own way. Thanks for everything. -Sunshine." 

The leader lowered the wrapper. "Well, that solves that problem," he said out loud. "The kid couldn't stay much longer, anyway." 

Top Cat put the wrapper down and tried to go on about his day. He had places to go and things to do. 

A thought suddenly entered his mind. Sunshine was just a kid, and she was out there in the city, all alone. 

Top Cat shook his head, rapidly. She had obviously gotten along fine before. Surely, it wouldn't be any different now.

What if it would be, though? What if her luck would change? What would she do during the winter? 

Why should he care? She was just some random kid. 

Some random kid who ran into his alley. 

Some random kid who took part in a few of the gang's schemes.

Some random kid who trusted him enough to not turn her in to the police or make fun of her fears. 

He thought of the way she had interacted with him and the other cats when they did the musical and the way her eyes had lit up when she had been given the toys at the carnival. None of the members of the gang had gone out of their way to do anything for her, yet it took so little to make her happy.

She was a sweet kid. 

And she was out there, all by herself. 

Top Cat's guilt quickly turned into fear. Who knows what could happen to her! He ran to some trash cans and banged two lids together as loud as he could. Once all the others showed up, he told them, frantically, "Sunshine's gone!" He handed Benny the wrapper, and it got passed around while everyone read the note. 

"We've gotta find her! Who knows what trouble she could be in! Everybody, split up! She couldn't have gone that far...I hope." 

Without question or hesitation, all the cats ran out of the alley and separated so they could look for Sunshine. 

Top Cat ran straight into Officer Dibble. "Hey!" the cop started. 

Top Cat immediately interrupted him. "No time, Dibble!" 

"Hold it, Top Cat. Where are you going in such a hurry?" 

At first, Dibble was angry, but he became concerned once he got a good look at Top Cat. He had never seen the feline filled with so much terror before. 

"Sunshine is gone! I've gotta find her!" 

"Who? You mean that kid? She's-"

"Out there, all alone. Something might happen to her!" 

Seeing how important this was to Top Cat, Dibble spoke, softer. "Take it easy, T.C. How about I get a search party rounded up?" 

"Would you do that? Oh, that would be great!" Top Cat told him, relieved. 

"I don't want the kid getting hurt. I'll have some of the guys look for her, and I'll let you know if she gets found." 

"Thanks, Dibble. I owe you one," Top Cat told him, then ran off. 

It felt like Top Cat looked all over the city for Sunshine, with no luck. He began getting discouraged but couldn't give up. At last, he saw a sign of her whereabouts near a dock. Laying on the ground was the picture taken at the carnival. He picked it up and looked around for the teenager, shouting her name. 

He happened to look down at the water.

His heart stopped. 

Sunshine was floating on the water, as still as a board. 

Top Cat jumped off the dock and desperately grabbed onto her and pulled her to shore. He performed CPR and checked her pulse. She was alive, but just barely. He screamed for someone to call an ambulance. Soon, one arrived and took them both to the hospital.


	9. Chapter 9

Top Cat hated hospitals; he had since the day he was born. There was just something about them that was unsettling, unnerving, and downright depressing. Lots of people went in there to get treated, but a lot didn't come out- 

No. He wouldn't think about that. He wouldn't let himself think about Sunshine, laying alone in the emergency room, surrounded by a bunch of strangers, doctors who were supposed to help her get better. As much as he wanted to leave, he couldn't. There was no way he could abandon the teenager, not after all she'd been through, not after all they'd been through. 

He tried to keep his focus on the way she was before she had run off. She was a good kid and deserved better than a life on the streets. He should have let her stay; they could have figured something out.

A doctor had informed him earlier that based on Sunshine's appearance, someone had tried to drown her. After receiving this information, Top Cat got a hold of Choo Choo and Dibble over the phone, trying to keep his voice steady and his anger and fear under control. He told them that he had found Sunshine, so the whole gang would soon know where they were.

A nurse came out to the waiting room and said that Sunshine's condition was stable, but she wasn't awake yet. Top Cat looked around. Seeing that the rest of the gang hadn't arrived yet, he followed the nurse into Sunny's room. 

An icy hand gripped Top Cat's heart when he saw Sunshine. She was so pale; all the color had disappeared from her cheeks. She lay in bed, barely moving at all. The nurse left the room.

Top Cat sat by the bed. Not knowing what else to do, he spoke. "Hey, Sunshine." He barely recognized his own voice. He gulped. "H-how ya doing? You don't look so good." 

When he got a hold of the person who did this, he'd... 

"The gang's been looking for you. I already let them know I found you." 

Where were they? Why was it taking so long for the others to arrive? 

"Listen, kid..." 

This was so awkward. As a leader, Top Cat was cool and charismatic. He wasn't good at dealing with serious stuff. However, this helpless girl needed him. He had to help her through this and be strong for her. He had to try.

For Sunshine. 

"Sunny... I know we've had our differences, but you're a valuable member of the group." He paused when he realized he sounded like he only cared about the money she made for them. "What I mean is, we like having you around, and the alley wouldn't be the same without you. You're one of the best things that ever happened to the gang...and to me. You gotta wake up." 

There was no response from her. Nothing but stillness. 

"Look, I'll make you a deal. If you wake up, you'll get 15% of the profits from now on. No, 20." 

Cutting her a deal wasn't solving anything. There was nothing he could do to change the situation. He couldn't talk his way out of this one to get what he wanted, and he was powerless. 

Desperate and losing hope, he looked around. Seeing they were still alone, he gently lifted Sunshine up and held her in his arms. He shuddered at how cold she was. Holding her close, he sang, softly. 

"You are my Sunshine,  
My only Sunshine.  
You make me happy  
When skies are gray.  
You'll never know, dear,  
How much I love you.  
Please don't take my Sunshine away." 

Top Cat sniffled, not wanting to let go of her. He decided from that moment on, he'd do whatever it took to give her a good life. She just had to wake up, first.

Right before he heard the doorknob turn, he carefully layed Sunny back down in the bed. 

Gradually, the others in the gang arrived. A few were let in at a time, and Top Cat stayed in the room. Each of the cats talked to Sunshine, and Benny even cried. 

Later, there was a knock at the door. Officer Dibble came in with a balloon that had 'Get Well Soon' on it. "Hello, Top Cat. Mind if I come in?" 

"Go ahead." 

Dibble set the balloon down near the head of the bed. "How is she?" 

"She won't wake up," Top Cat tried to keep from choking out. 

"Oh, gosh... I'm real sorry." He put a hand on Top Cat's shoulder. "She'll pull through, T.C." 

Top Cat just looked at him with a sad expression. Then, he said, "Somebody did this to her." 

"What?" 

"Somebody tried to drown her. The doctor said that she looks like she got into it with someone."

Dibble frowned, pained. "Who'd try to drown a kid? That's sick! I'll see what I can do. Maybe we can find out who did it." 

"If you do, you'll have your hands full dealing with a homicide."

Dibble gave Top Cat a strange look, then told him, "Why don't you get some rest? You look terrible." 

"I can't just leave her here." 

"The doctors will take good care of her. You gotta take good care of yourself." 

Top Cat admitted he was right. Slowly, he made his way out to the waiting room after taking one last look at Sunshine.


	10. Chapter 10

All six of the cats refused to leave the hospital and stayed in the waiting room, sleeping, talking, and planning. When they were able to, they visited Sunshine, who still hadn't woken up. 

Officer Dibble entered the hospital and addressed the gang. "I've got some good news. We caught the guy who hurt Sunshine. He's murdered several people, so there's no way he's ever going to hurt anyone else again." 

The group of felines were a bit relieved. It was the only piece of good news they had received in awhile.

"And, there was a reward out for anyone who found him," Dibble continued. "Since Sunshine's case was one that led to him getting caught, she gets the reward money." 

"I hope she doesn't have to use it for a funeral," Top Cat said, somberly, leaving the waiting room. 

"Any updates?" Dibble asked.

Choo Choo shook his head. "Uh, uh. Sunny's still unconscious." 

"I wish there was something else I could do." 

"We just want Sunshine to be okay," Benny stated. 

Meanwhile, Top Cat went to Sunshine's room and sat by the bed. He watched her, closely, and noticed her fingers slightly moving. Doubting his senses, he kept looking at her, and she moved her hand. 

He dared to hope. "Sunshine?" 

She made a small noise as if she was trying to speak. 

"Sunshine!" He rushed to her and stroked her reddish-brown hair. "Sunshine, you're okay! Stay right there!" 

Top Cat raced out and into the waiting room. "She's awake!" Then, he ran back into the room with the others in the gang close behind him. Everyone crowded around the bed. Officer Dibble stood outside the room. 

Sunshine opened her eyes for the first time in awhile. "Top Cat?" she asked, weakly.

"Hey, kiddo. You gave us quite a scare for awhile." 

The teenager looked around. "You're all here. What are you doing here?" 

"Worrying about you. We thought you wouldn't wake up," Benny told her. 

"There was a guy. He grabbed me, and I tried to get away. He held me under the water. That...That's the last thing I remember," Sunshine said, crying. 

"You don't have to worry about that anymore," Top Cat informed her. "He's been caught and ain't going anywhere for a long, long time." 

Sunshine nodded, still upset. "I made a mess of things. If it wasn't for me, you guys wouldn't be here." 

"Don't feel bad, Sunny," Choo Choo said. "We want to make sure you're okay." 

"Which brings us to our next topic," Top Cat said. "You've got some money coming to you from helping catch that guy. We could rent an apartment for you so you have a decent place to live." 

Sunshine shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to afford living anywhere for long." 

"Now, wait a minute. You haven't heard the rest of it. The gang and I've been talking, and we decided we're gonna pitch in and pay the rent and stuff each month." 

"How?" 

"Well, if we're gonna raise a kid, we gotta do it proper. Each of us are going to get jobs." 

Sunshine sat up as best as she could. "No. No. I'm not going to ask you guys to change your lives and give up your dreams for me. I won't let you." 

"We wouldn't be giving up anything," Benny said. 

"Yeah. We don't mind working if it means you get to stay," Fancy-Fancy told her. 

Sunshine still refused the offer, shaking her head.

Top Cat sat close to her. "Listen, Sunshine, you're stuck with us. Like it or not, you've already changed all our lives; there's no going back. We're willing to do what we have to to make sure you're taken care of. That's what fathers do for their kids. How about we vote on it? All in favor of adopting Sunshine, say 'aye'!" 

"Aye!" The entire room shook with the single, resounding shout from all six of the cats. 

"All opposed? Nobody? That settles it, then," Top Cat said, not giving Sunshine a chance to object. 

Sunshine looked around at the gang and burst into tears. Overcome with emotion, she told them, "I don't know what to say. I've never had a family before." 

"Now is as good a time as any to get one," Top Cat said. "And you got a bargain on fathers: six for the price of one!"

Everyone in the room laughed, even Sunshine, who began to cheer up. 

Outside the room, Officer Dibble eavesdropped on the conversation. He almost fell over from shock. "I can't believe it! I just can't believe it!" he said to himself. "Top Cat and his gang are going straight! I never thought I'd see the day! That kid is a miracle worker! I guess you CAN teach an old cat new tricks!"


	11. Chapter 11

It didn't take much time to get an apartment. With the reward money, the group was able to get a small but decent place. The best part about it was that it was close to Hoagy's Alley. 

Everyone in the gang except for Sunshine got jobs. Top Cat became a cab driver. Benny became a janitor at a zoo. Choo Choo got a job as a card dealer at a casino. Brain became a cashier at a grocery store. Spook worked at the pool hall, and Fancy-Fancy was an usher at a movie theater. The regular and numerous paychecks guaranteed that Sunshine would have everything she needed, and then some. 

Due to the cats working different shifts, someone was always there with Sunshine to make sure she went to school and was fed and had someone to say good night to. 

One Saturday, the gang had a party to celebrate Sunshine's adoption. All of the cats signed their names on the papers, making it official. Their new daughter gave them each a gift: a coffee mug with 'World's Greatest Dad' on it. On all of them but Top Cat's, the word 'Dad' was marked out and replaced by each of her nicknames for them: Daddy (Benny), Papi (Choo Choo), Pop (Spook), Papa (Fancy-Fancy), and Baba (Brain). The new fathers accepted their gifts, proudly. 

Officer Dibble, who was chosen to be Sunny's godfather, came to the party, as well. She still felt wary around him but accepted his presence. He got her some blankets, a lamp, and a mirror for her bedroom. 

As they all sat around the apartment, eating cake and drinking soda, Top Cat stood up and asked, "May I have your attention, please?" When it quieted down, he continued, "I'd like to propose a toast. To Sunshine, the best daughter a bunch of guys could ever have. Here's to you, kid." 

Everyone raised their soda bottles and shouted, "Here, here!" 

"Thank you. Thank you all so much," Sunny told them, gratefully. 

Only a short time ago, Sunshine was an orphan with no home or family, someone who didn't know where her next meal would come from. Her only thought was to make money just so she could survive. Now, not only did she have a stable, safe home, she had a loving family who took good care of her. She could focus on growing up and becoming the person she wanted to be. Originally, what she thought she had needed was money. 

What she actually needed was love.


End file.
